Pages

Friday, November 30, 2012

Since 1990, over 5 million children and adults have loved creating t-shirts, pillowcases, backpacks, tote bags, bandanas, and more for parties, slumber parties, and scout meetings with our permanent fabric markers. We have provided our customers the opportunity to entertain their guests with a creative activity that becomes a permanent keepsake. Also, we are a licensed vendor of the Girl Scouts of America. Check out our wholesale program, great for your organizations.

My children are all crafty, so for them these kinds of items are terrific! I bet it isn't too hard for you to think of someone on your Christmas list who would think these are pretty great too. Lucky for you (and me too!), ColorTime is offering a 15% discount off of any of their great items! Take a look at their website, they have a huge variety of items and themes to choose from...really something for everyone. And the best part, it's a gift that children of any age will enjoy.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

This Thanksgiving holiday we decided to go out of town for a mini-trip. We invited my husband's parents along, and delightfully they agreed.

Along the way to our destination we stopped at Bronner's, which is the world's largest Christmas store in Frankenmuth, Michigan. If you haven't seen it, this place is just amazing. We go at least once a year, but our 5-yr. old is at the perfect age to remember it. We didn't get there until dark (work is always getting in the way of things), but we still had such a good time.

You know you are in for a treat when you pull up because the huge parking lot is all lit up with life-sized decorations aplenty. It truly is a winter wonderland, and my son was in awe.

Looking through the big Kaleidoscope

Little Happy Face

The store really is incredible. There are ornaments of every kind, all over the store. One of my favorites that I selected to bring home was baby Jesus in the manger.

The Nativity Scene section

And I LOVED these ornaments made in Russia. I went back to this table three times contemplating the purchase, but the glass was so delicate I was afraid it wouldn't survive the trip, so I came home without one. I liked them so much though, that I may still order one online.

These were made in Russia and were sooo delicate, and just beautiful!

Bronners has every kind of Santa Claus you can imagine. They also have a lot of outdoor items, and these great snow villages set up in a section of the store. There are literally holiday goodies in every nook and cranny of the store (which is huge, by the way), including hanging from the ceilings and up high around the ceiling borders.

And of course I have to give props to anyone who dedicates a whole section to college football and then puts together a Spartans tree for display (yeah, they had that other team too, but we're not going to talk about that ;) ).

An entire Spartans section! Sweet!

A Spartans Tree!

It turned out to be a really fun stop along the way. I enjoyed looking at all of the Christmas items. I always do. But my favorite thing this trip was how happy our youngest was surrounded by all of the fun holiday items. He got a little tired at the end, but his eyes sparkled the whole time and he couldn't quit smiling. That made it the best trip ever (for him and for me).

If you have a chance to stop by Bronner's before the holidays get here, it's well worth the trip (and Santa is there now too). Or if you've never heard of them, or are too far away to make the trip, check their store out online. You'll be glad you did.

Posting Christmas songs every day has been fun, and every time I do it, it makes me feel festive. :) The three songs I'm putting up today have been a part of my holiday celebrations for as long as I can remember. Two of them, I can remember the LP covers for, and the other I have on CD (transferred of course to the iPod). While the method of playing the music has changed quite a bit, the sounds haven't...and for that, I'm grateful.

The first is Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer singing "Baby It's Cold Outside," a fun song that makes you want to have a partner scoop you up and swing you around the room a couple of times:

The second is Brenda Lee's version of "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree," another song that'll get you dancing around the house:

And the last one is Bing Crosby's, "White Christmas." Christmas wasn't Christmas without that song for my grandpa. He loved it, and had such a rich, beautiful voice. I always loved to hear him sing along.

As many of you know, my daughter-in-law and son are expecting their first child (and my first grandchild) early next summer. While this is an exciting time, it is also a time for contemplating which products will be the safest and best fit for our newest family member.

Baby blankets don't belong in our babies' beds, so how do we keep them warm? There is no better way than a cozy baby sleep sack. Unfortunately so many of those on the market are made of synthetic materials that can cause the baby to overheat and actually increase the risk factor for SIDS. Woolino comes to the rescue by creating all natural 100% Australian merino wool baby sleep bags that keep baby warm at night in any season.

Woolino merino baby sleep bags have a host of amazing features, from being super easy to clean to having a convenient harness slot to use during travel. It is compact and warm, perfect at home or on the go. Snaps on both shoulders and an inverted zipper make dressing and diaper changes easier. Underarm snaps make it adjustable to fit small babies. Your baby will be comfortable in a Woolino 4 Season baby sleep bag in temperatures ranging from 63 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. It comes with a travel bag, room thermometer, and it is in a plastic-free, ready-to-gift package which makes it perfect for a baby shower or Christmas!

Our Favorite Features:

Fits babies 3 to 24 months

Seat belt slot for easy transfer from car to crib

Naturally anti-microbial, anti-fungal

Naturally fire resistant without the use of harsh chemicals

Regulates temperature

Made with sustainable and 100% natural Australian merino wool

GOTS certified organic cotton outer

Machine washable

Super soft on baby's skin

Purchase: The 2013 Collection Woolino 4 Season Baby Sleep Bags retail for $119.99 each, you can purchase it on the Woolino website. They also make toddler sleep sacks for kids 2 to 4 years old! The Woolino sleep bags are also available on Amazon.

Win One! Woolino is blessing two of you with a 2013 Collection Woolino 4 Season Baby Sleep Bag in size 3 to 24 months, one reader will win Sage and another Spring (both gender neutral).

Special thanks to AnaB Social for hosting this giveaway. Huge thanks to all participating bloggers as well! Giveaway ends December 27th at 12:01 am, open to US and Canadian residents, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Thank you!

If you're looking for fantastic gift ideas Top Trenz, Inc has got you covered! And their items are not only practical, they're cute too.

Top Trenz, Inc is owned by brothers, Corey and Jamie Glassberg. They are on top of the latest trends and are the proud creators of the exciting UNDEE BANDZ tie dye line of all categories of bags, fashion accessories, hair accessories and clothing line! They will continue to keep on top of what is hot for the upcoming seasons!

"Make Our Own Network" solely organized this event. I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are 100% my own and may differ from your own. Mail4Rosey is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

Everybody's got a 'techie' or a 'gamer' (or in a lot of houses, I expect both), and if that is the case in your house, this prize package aims to please. Take a look at the great prizes listed below.First Place Winner: Xbox Bundle: Xbox 360 4GB Console

Microsoft Xbox Live Gold Subscription Card
Boaderlands Game: In a distant future, the planets at the outer edges of the galaxy have become a beacon to fortune seekers and those yearning for a better life off world.2nd Place Winner: Google Nexus 7 Black Wi-Fi 16GB Tablet - ASUS-1B16
The Google Nexus 7 tablet computer is the world's first Android tablet that combines the latest Android 4.1 mobile operating system with a powerful quad-core processor for high-performance computing on the go. An eye-catching 1280 x 800 high-definition display is your touchscreen interface for this Google tablet. The Google Nexus 7 tablet computer's LED-backlit IPS panel is made from scratch-resistant glass to offer crisp images, wide viewing angles and 10-finger multi-touch support.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

I love Christmas music that is heartwarming, upbeat, swing-y, you name it. I also like the kind that is just plain fun. "Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer," which has become a playful staple, fits that bill, and so does "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause." And last year for the first time I heard "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," and that made me laugh.

This year Robin from the blog, Masshole Mommy brought up Dominick the Donkey. I hadn't heard of it, and neither had my husband, but after reading the description of it on YouTube, it looks like it's been around for awhile, and that's for sure a fun song! Another amusing song that never gets old for me, no matter my age, is "All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth." I like the version I'm putting up here, but I also like "The Chipmunks" version.

I like all of the above and am posting the last two, just in case you might get a smile out of them too.

What better way to surprise your friend or loved one this holiday than with a pair of warm-weather shoes, OOFOS to be exact, and a note that says, "We're going to Tahiti!" or some other warm spot?!

Or if that's just wishful thinking (like it is at my house), why not pick up a pair of OOFOS just because they're comfy? Our family went on a mini-family getaway for Thanksgiving and the place we went to had five swimming pools...so my husband brought along his new OOFOS. He really enjoyed them, said they reminded him of summer (that's a good thing when you live in a cold state like we do).

Fresh out of the pool and headed to play mini-golf.
Daddy-O was loving his new shoes!

OOFOS are lightweight; they are durable; the cushioning is designed to absorb impact; and they are machine washable (I LOVE that feature!). One thing that was very clear by the end of our day is that these shoes are not flip-flops (flip-flops wear my husband's feet out quick, and these did not). If you want to read more about the technology that goes into the cushion designed to revitalize your feet, you can do that here.

OOFOS come in men and women's styles, and they come in three different styles:

The OOriginal Thong Shoe,

The OOahh Slide Shoe,

& the OOCloo Clog Shoe

They are available at the following retailers, and if you would like to know more, I encourage you to visit their website. You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.

And one lucky winner (thank you, OOFOS!) is going to get a chance to 'feel the OO' on their own because one pair of the OOFOS Original Thong Shoes are going to be sent to the home of one lucky Mail4Rosey winner! Winner will get to select size and color (subject to availability). The person randomly selected as the winner is encouraged to take care when ordering because returns or exchanges will not be permitted (the pair you order is the pair you get, so just be careful with your selection).

If you like casual shoes that are stylish and comfortable, OOFOS are the way to go. Why not give them a try? Come on and "Feel the OO!"

Xbox 360 250GB Kinect Holiday Console Bundle Includes:

Let the Kinect holiday bundle help get you up and moving. With an interactive game style, and motion sensors this game is a huge hit at our house. Literally every generation (from great grandchild to great grandparents and everyone in between) enjoys watching and/or participating in the Kinect games when they come to our house to visit. It's just plain fun!

Stuffing Christmas stockings if fun, and in many houses, a holiday tradition. Today I'm going to tell you about a perfect stocking stuffer that I've recently come across, and think will be welcome in anyone's holiday treasures. The FIXMESTICK!

The FIXME STICK is a small, powerful device that plugs into your computer via USB port to remove virus and malware infections that your antivirus program was unable to catch (it happens, believe me, I've lost two protected laptops over the years due to viruses that my antivirus program at the time did not catch). If you have lost a computer to a virus before, you know full well that it is a total bummer to realize all of your information stored on that computer was lost, and aside from any backup you may have made, you had no recourse to get that data back. With the FixMeStick, those days may be gone forever.

I am SO EXCITED about this product, and after you take a look at how it works, I'm guessing you will be too. Working in conjunction with three of the world's leading antivirus companies, Kaspersky, Sophos, and GFI, this company has created a product that everyone with a computer should have on hand.

The FixMeStick runs before your Windows boots up (allowing it to get moving before a virus could attempt to run), and it comes with a satisfaction guarantee, so really there's nothing to lose in giving it a try. This little device is a piece of cake to run too. If I can do it (and I can!), you can do it! The FixMeStick also works proactively, meaning you can use it periodically, alongside your desktop security program, to help keep your computer malware and virus-free.

There's been a lot of press coverage for this item, as you can well imagine. You can click here to see what media giants such as PCMag.com, Technosterone, and The Hacker News, to name a few, have had to say about it.

Anyone who has a computer is going to want one of these on hand, and with the holiday season here, it's also the perfect gift giving item!

To make things even sweeter, FixMeStick has agreed to give one away to a lucky Mail4Rosey winner (Thank you, FixMeStick!). The giveaway is going to be short and sweet so you can receive it in time for the holidays (just in case you are able to part with it and put it someone's Christmas stocking). You can enter on the Rafflecopter form below.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Keeping in line with yesterday's selection, Kenya from the blog Here's the Thing requested (haha, I like that, it makes me sound like a DJ...which is probably a fun occupation...not as fun as being a mom, but fun just the same) ThePianoGuys version of the Charlie Brown Medley. Again these performers just look like they have a blast when they're playing. I really like that about them.

Thinking about Charlie Brown music reminded me of Wynton Marsalis (stay with me now, I have a CD of Charlie Brown music he performed that is fantastic!). When I think of Jazz, in addition to Marsalis, I think of Michael Bublé. And when I think of Michael Bublé , I inevitably think of Harry Connick, Jr., one of my all-time favorite performers...and that makes me think of his Christmas duet with Kim Burrell.

If you are looking for the perfect gift to give someone that says, 'I think you're special,' you just cannot go wrong with a high quality gift basket. I know getting or giving a gift basket always makes me happy, and Gift Baskets Plus offers the best of the best. Truly, there is something for any and everyone on their website.

There are gift baskets for those who enjoy the delicious tasty treats of the season:

Gift Baskets for those who like coffee:

Tea:

Or Chocolate:

There are even gift baskets for the kids!

And these are just to name a few!! In fact, there are 130 holiday gift baskets available at Gift Baskets Plus (and many, many more if you are looking for a basket for a different occasion such as birthday, anniversary, etc.). Gift Baskets Plus has been making baskets for over ten years, and as you can see, everything is meticulously wrapped (and shipped) with care, and the baskets are just gorgeous!

To make your holiday shopping even easier, Gift Baskets Plus is offering all Mail4Rosey readers a 15% discount. After you have made your selections, simply put the following code in the box that says "Discount Codes" in the online shopping cart: 15OFF

This discount code expires 12/31/12.

A big thank you goes out to Gift Baskets Plus for offering the discount on their beautiful gift baskets.

You can look through their holiday gift baskets here, and be sure to follow them on Facebook and/or Twitter for the possibility of even more great offers.

Disclosure: I was offered one gift basket in order to
facilitate the review. No other form of
compensation took place and all opinions stated are my own.

Harvey Prince has made quite a name for itself, and after you give the fragrances a try, you'll see why. Created as a gift for their mother, two sons came together to create a scent they thought would be perfect for her, Ageless. That scent, as is true of all of their products, was created with no toxins, and in a manner that was 100% cruelty-free (hoo-rah for responsible manufacturers!). That scent launched the company to where it is today, and since then it has had, in combination with all its other fragrances, received an abundance of press coverage from various sources including The New York Times, Cosmopolitan, and it was featured on The Doctors, to name a few.

eAu flirt, Harvey Prince's best selling fragrance, was created with the idea of turning heads, in a good way. With its notes of pumpkin and lavender, it appeals to the senses and has been deemed as The "olfactory equivalent of a little red dress" - The New York Times.

I am a huge fan of fragrance, hubby...not so much so. He doesn't dislike it, he just likes it in small doses, but he really thought this one smelled delicious, and so did I! Now, just in time for Christmas, three lucky readers are going to get a full-sized bottle of this top-selling fragrance to call their very own. If you are one of the lucky winners, and you decide to gift it, you better wrap it quick because one scent and you're going to want to keep it for yourself!

Take a look around their website too, there are quite a few other products (in addition to the fragrance) that are sure to appeal to you (I've got my eye on that soap!).

This giveaway is only going to run a short time so you can get your product in time to wrap it, or wear it for the holiday parties that are fast approaching! A big thank you to Harvey Prince who agreed to sponsor the giveaway!

If you would like to know more about the company and/or its fabulous products, you can browse their website here, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or take a look at their blog.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Today is my fourth day posting a Christmas song to celebrate the season as we count down the days until Christmas morn. Theresa from Theresa's Mixed Nuts, mentioned Carol of the Bells so I thought I'd look it up and see what versions You Tube had for the song.

There were tons! I am posting two...the first version is probably the most classic version:

And the second is an instrumental performed by ThePianoGuys (one word) that I thought was fun. Hearing the cello made me want to buy tickets to a Christmas performance featuring strings.

What is a better win than free money (especially this time of year)? A win that leads you to a program that lets you make money year round, of course.

Welcome to the CashCrate Cash $100 Paypal giveaway, hosted by Stay a Stay at Home Mom. One lucky winner will win $100 in cold-hard cash to be used on anything your heart desires.
But even if you don't win the $100 Paypal, you still walk away from this giveaway a winner. How? Well, you have the opportunity to join Cashcrate FOR FREE. CashCrate is one of the best survey/offer sites on the planet.
Here's what Rayven from Stay a Stay at Home Mom says about CashCrate:

I've been a CashCrate member for almost 5 years now, and get a check every month. Its not a ton of money, but its enough to go out on a date night with my hubby, or if I saved it each month we'd be able to do all our Christmas shopping. I love CashCrate as the program is simple, they pay on time, and best of all, its totally free!

Disclaimer: Mail4Rosey received no compensation for making this post, and is not responsible for prize shipment. Mail4Rosey is not a part of the affiliate CashCrate program but is happy to participate in promoting the giveaway, and would not recommend a product or a service that I feel is not beneficial to my readers. Thank you for your support of this blog.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

In keeping with my daily posts of Christmas Music, today I have chosen another song that just feels "Christmas-y," Elvis' "Here Comes Santa Clause."

Elvis was a little before my time (at least something was!), so I never got into the 'Oh my gosh it's Elvis!' thing (it's amazing to me the effect he had on people in his audience!), but I do like a good number of his songs. I particularly like his voice on this song.

And while I'm talking about Elvis I might as well put up "Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me," because just like I could see my grandparents singing the Nat King Cole "Christmas Song" in my head when I posted yesterday's song, I can equally see my mom dancing all over her living room to this song. She's a woman who loves an upbeat tempo (and she loves Elvis Presley music too).

Releases In Full Bloom For the Holidays
on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD, High Definition Digital & On-Demand, December
4, 2012

Burbank, Calif.,
October 10, 2012—Disney’s “The Odd Life of Timothy Green,” one of the
year’s most uplifting and enchanting family films, springs up on Blu-ray™ Combo
Pack, DVD, High Definition Digital and On-Demand platforms on December 4, 2012.
It’s the perfect, must-own family-film for audiences of all ages to enjoy and
snuggle up to this coming holiday season.

From Academy Award-nominated writer/director Peter Hedges (Dan in Real Life, What’s Eating Gilbert
Grape), and starring Golden Globe® winner Jennifer
Garner, Joel Edgerton, Oscar® winner Dianne Wiest and CJ Adams as
Timothy Green, comes this highly imaginative story about a happily married
couple who can’t wait to start a family but can only dream about what their
child would be like. Then one stormy night young Timothy shows up on their
doorstep. Soon they and the small town in which they live learn that sometimes
the unexpected can bring some of life’s greatest gifts. The story is written by
Ahmet Zappa (“American Gangster,” “Changeling”).

“The Odd Life of Timothy Green” Blu-ray Combo Pack provides viewers
with the chance to delve deeper into this captivating movie experience through never-before-seen
bonus features, including the documentary “Family Roots: Bringing ‘The Odd Life
of Timothy Green’ to the Screen,” which looks at this unique family story and
the creative team that brought it to life; “Glen Hansard: Behind ‘This Gift” -
the Academy Award® winning songwriter tells how he and Marketa Irglova
crafted the moving end-credits song; “This Gift” Music Video by Glen Hansard; Five
all-new deleted scenes; and a director audio-commentary.

“The Odd Life of Timothy Green” will be
available to own and for in-home viewing and will contain the following bonus
features:

BONUS FEATURES

2-Disc Blu-ray Combo
Pack

1-Disc DVD

HD Digital

Documentary—“Family
Roots: Bringing ‘The Odd Life of Timothy Green’ to the Screen”

A look at the
telling of this unique family story and the team that made it happen.

X

X

“Glen Hansard:
Behind ‘This Gift.’”

A look at the Oscar
winner and the creation of the poignant end-credits song.

Writer/director
Peter Hedges adapted his first novel “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” into the
film starring Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio and Juliette Lewis. Since then,
Hedges has written and directed two of his own films, “Pieces of April,”
starring Katie Holmes, and “Dan in Real Life,” starring Steve Carell. His
adaptation of Nick Hornby’s novel “About a Boy” was nominated for Best
Screenplay Academy Award® in 2002. The producers are Emmy®
and Tony Award®–winner Scott Sanders (“The Color Purple,” “The
Pee-Wee Herman Show”), Ahmet Zappa and Jim Whitaker (“American Gangster,”
“Changeling”). Executive producers are John Cameron (“Lars and the Real Girl,”
“Fargo”) and Mara Jacobs. Peter Hedges penned the screenplay from a story by
Ahmet Zappa.

For more than 85 years, The Walt Disney
Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built.
Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers
throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners:
Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios;
Disneynature; Marvel Studios; and Touchstone Pictures, the banner under which
live-action films from DreamWorks Studios are distributed. The Disney Music
Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well
as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses
live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!.

One lucky winner is going to win their very own copy of "The Odd Life of Timothy. This giveaway is going to be short and sweet (so you can get your copy before Christmas!). Enter on the Rafflecopter form below, and please be sure if you enter that you can get your information to me (if you are the winner) within 24 hours of notification. US entrants only.